Feed-water heater for locomotives



Feb. 21, 1928. 1,660,261

G. H. EMERSON FEED WATER HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 22, 1922 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Mam 17mm Feb 21, 1928.

G. H. EMERSON FEED WATER HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledDec. 22, 1922 Feb. 21, 1628. 1,660,261

G. H. EMERSON FEED WATER HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 22, 1922 4SheetsSheet 5' 9, l) PT] I Feb. 21", 1928. 1,660,261

G. H; EMERSON FEED WATERHEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Dec. 22. 1922 4ShetS-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

GEORGE E. EMERSON, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FEED-WATER HEATER FOR LOCON OTIVES.

Application filed December 22, 1922. Serial No. 608,548.

My invention relates to locomotives, having particular relation tolocomotive feedwater heaters.

One object of my invention is to provide a locomotive with a feed-waterheater andpurifier and to locate the feed-water heater and purifier infront of the smoke box of the locomotive.

'A further object of the invention is to design the feed-water heaterand purifier so that it can be moved bodily to one side to allow accessto the tubes of the boiler.

A still further object of my invention is to provide common means forheating the feed-water and for reducing the back pressure on the valvechamber.

A still further object of-my invention is to provide a novel locomotivefeed-water heater comprising, a heater tank, means for supplyingfeed-water thereto, an eductor condenser operatively associated withsaid teed-water supply means, a valve chamber, and means operativelyassociating said eductor condenser and said valve chamber, whereby theback pressure on the locomotive pistons may be reduced.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a locomotivefeed-water heater and purifier comprising a heating tank, a plurality oftrays disposedwithin said tank and a chemical reagent positioned in saidtrays, said trays being so positioned that said reagent is widelyexposed to the feedwater in said tank.

Other objects and applications of my invention, as Well as the detailsof construction and operation, whereby my invention may be practicedwill be apparent from'the following description and claims, when takeninconnection with the accompanying "drawings wherein,

Fig, 1 is a side view of the'forward end of a locomotive illustrating myinvention: Fig. 1 is a side view of the rear end of a locomotive;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the smoke box and thefeed-water heater at the forward end of the locomotive;

Fig. 3 is a transverse'sectional view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; p

Fig. at is a perspective view of one ot'the brackets; and,

Fig. 5 is a Perspective view of one of the trays.

Referring to the drawlngs, 1 is the frame.

of a locomotive of the ordinary construction.

2 is the boiler. the boiler. 5 is the smoke box located in front of theforward tube sheet 6. 7, 7 are the cylinders. 8 is the exhaust nozzle inthe smoke box 5. 9 IS the stack of the locomotive. Located in front ofthe smoke box, and of the same diameter as the smoke box, is the heatertank 10 having an imperforate'rear wall 11, which closes the front endof the smoke box 5. The front end 12 of the heater tank is shaped toresemble the ordinary front end of the locomotive boiler. This heatertank is mounted on hinges 13, secured to the shell of the boiler, asshown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 3 is the fire box section of 4 is the cabof the locomotive. I

so that it can be turned on its pivots to one side of the boiler inorder that access may be had to the smoke box and to the tubes of theboiler. The smoke box and the heater tank are flanged and bolts 14extend through the flanges and firmly secure the heater tank inposition. Projecting from the back plate 11 of the heater tank is aseries of brackets 15, Fig. 4. These brackets are arranged singly and inpairs, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, and support the trays 16. Each trayis flanged at each side, as at 17. The flanges fit over'the brackets.The inner end of each tray extends under a projection 18 at. the rear,end of the bracket and is perforated at 20 through which a projection 19extends. By this construction, the trays are held firmly in position,but can be easily removed, when desired.

It will be noticed, on referring to Fig. 3, that the trays are arrangedin series. One series is above the other and the spaces between thetrays of one series are directly any water that may escape from thetrays into the trays below.

In the upper portion of the heater tank is a condenser 22 to which issecured a coupling 23,having extensions 24 leading to perforated pipes25 extending longitudinally in the upper trays 16. This condenser isconnected at the upper end with a pipe 26 for the feed-water, the pipebeing coupled, in turn, to an ejector 27 at the rear end of thelocomotive, Fig. 1 The condenser 22 is also connected to a pipe 28having branches 29 leading to the front valve chamber head of whereby aflow of steam may be established from the valve-chamber heads to thecondenser 22 tending to decrease the back pressure on the locomotivepistons (not shown). In each branch is a valve 30. Leading from thebottom of the heater tank is a drain pipe 31. This drain pipe'exends toa feed pump 32'having a pipe 33, which is attached to a check valve 34communicating with the upper portion of the boiler, Fig. 1. Thecondensed exhaust steam from the Valve chamber heads as well as theheated feed-water supplied through the-pipe 26 is thus returned in apre-heated condition to locomotive boiler 2.

35 designates a valve for draining the heater tank. The front of theheater tank is provided with a vertically extending guideway for a ballfloat 37 which is connected by a cord 38 extending through a pipe 39 toa registering gauge 40 on the cab of the locomotive.

The water is purified as it flows from one tray to another. Any acids,which may be present in the water," are neutralized through the use of aproper neutralizing agent 41, such as limestone, etc., which is placedin the trays. Since the trays 16 are disposed in a number of differenthorizontal planes, the neutralizing agent 41 as well as other agents tobe described hereinafter are supported over a comparatively large area,thereby facilitating the action of the same on the feed-water andaffording ready ac cess thereto. The feed water heater 10 and moreespecially the trays 16 are of such a capacity as to allow the water toremain therein a suflicient time to liberate any oxygen, or carbondioxide, before the water is delivered to the locomotive boiler.

The operation is as follows: Cold water is drawn from the locomotivetender tank in the usual manner and is forced through the exhaust steamejector 27 and is delivered to the exhaust steam eductor condenser 22discharging into the upper series of trays 16 1n the upper portion ofthe heater tank 10.

As hereinabove noted, the operation of the exhaust steam eductorcondenser 22 establishes a vacuum in the pipes 28 and 29 which lead tothe valve chamber head of the cylinders, so that a portion of theexhaust steam is drawn up into the condenser 22, the remainder of theexhaust steam passing from the valve chambers through the exhaust nozzle8 in the smoke box 5.

The preheated water discharged from the condenser 22 then flows over theprecipitating trays 16 in the heater, remaining a suflioient length oftime for the carbon dioxide and oxygen to be boiled out. From the heaterand purifier, thewater is delivered "through the pipe 31to thecentrifugal pump 32, which is controlled by a steam valve in the cab,operated by the engineer. From this centrifugal pump the heated water isdischarged into the boiler through the pipe 33 and check valve 34.

For feeding the heater when the locomotive is standing still, oroperating at a very slow speed, the exhaust steam ejector 27 is providedwith suitable nozzles (not shown) adapted to receive high pressure livesteam through pipe 42, as shown in Fig. 1 The upper series of trays maybe made solid or perforated. They may also be made The gases liberatedduring the heating'of the feed-water and condensed steam may bepermitted to escape from the feed-water heater 10 through a pipe 44extending, say, from the upper side of the heater 10, as shown in Fig.2.

While I have. shown only one form of embodiment of my invention, for thepurpose of describing the same and illustrating its principles ofconstruction and operation, it is apparent that various changes andmodifications may be made therein, without dearting from the spirit ofmy invention and thereforedesirethat only such limitations shall beimposed thereon as are indicated in the appended claims or as aredemanded by the prior art.

I claim: 1. In a locomotive, a boiler having a smoke box at the forwardend thereof; a

smoke stack for said smoke box; and a feed:

means for supplying said trays wit feed water and for preheating thesame.

3. In a locomotive havin a valve chamber, the combination with a Eoiler;of a feedwater heater movably positioned in front of said boiler; aseries of trays in-said heater' a condenser in the upper portion of saidheater; said condenser'discharginginto the trays mounted on said traysand also communicating with said valve chamber, and a feed-water pipecommunicating with said condenser. I

4. In a locomotive, a smoke box having a tank mounted on the endthereof, said tank having an imperforate back plate constituting onewall of said smoke ox and also a front plate; and a series of trayscarried by at least one of said plates.

5. In a locomotive, a smokebox; a tank mounted on the end of the smokebox, said tank having a: back plate constituting the closure wall ofsaid smoke box; brackets extending into said tank from said back plate;and trays detachably mounted on the brackets.

6. A locomotive having a smoke box at its forward end; a tank having asolid back plate closing the end of the smoke box, said tank beinghinged to said smoke box; a series of brackets'secured to the backplate; and a series of trays mounted on the brackets.

Z. A locomotive snfoke box provided with a stack; .an open tankvertically hinged thereto forwardly of said stack so that the walls ofsaid tank constitute substantially a continuation of the walls of saidsmoke box; and a plurality of horizontally positioned trays in saidtank. i

8. The combination in a locomotive, of a boiler having a smoke box atthe forward end; an open heater tank located in front of the smoke boxand closing the end thereof; a series of trays in the tank; a cbnde'nserin the upper portion of the tank; and a feedwater pipe communicatingwith the condenser.

9. The combination in a locomotive, of a,

boiler; a feed-Water tank located in front of the boiler; a series ofbrackets secured to the walls of the tank; a series of detachable thebrackets, each tray being flanged to extend over a bracket, each brackethaving a projection extending over a tray,to hold it in position acondenser in the upper portion of the tank; means for supplying thecondenser with water, said condenser discharging into the upper trays;

and a pipe leading from said tank to the boiler.

10. In a locomotive, a feed water heater having a solid back; a seriesof brackets on the back plate extending part way across-the tank, eachbracket havinga lug at its inner end and a lug at its of flanged traysmounted on the brackets, the flanges of the trays being perforated forthe reception of the lugs at the outer ends of the brackets, the innerlugs extending over the inner ends of the trays.

11. A locomotive comprising a boiler having a smoke box at the forwardend thereof; a casing forming a continuation of said smoke box pivotallymounted on the same, whereby the casing may be so moved as to permit ofaccess to the smoke box; and means for supplying feed water to saidcasing, said means comprising an injector and condenser, the latterbeing positioned in said casing.

12. In a locomotive, the combination a boiler; ofa feed water heaterlocated in front of the boiler, said feed water heater comprising aclosed casing; a plurality of series of trays in said casing, one seriesbeing above another, whereby the trays of one series may flow into thetrays of the series below; means for supplying feed Water to the uppertrays; deflector plates extending from the sides of .said closed casing,whereby Water may be deflected from the sides'of the easing into saidtrays; and a pipe leading from the lower portion of the casing to theboiler. 1

13. In a device of the class described, a supporting wall; a bracketsecured thereto outer end; and a series.

with

and extending outwardly therefrom to provide a supporting arm; a trayhavin a flange, the underside of which is adapte to GEORGE H. EMERSON.

